A New Years's Resolution for Trump Addicts

 “HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE, INCLUDING THE HATERS AND THE FAKE NEWS MEDIA! 2019 WILL BE A FANTASTIC YEAR FOR THOSE NOT SUFFERING FROM TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME. JUST CALM DOWN AND ENJOY THE RIDE, GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING FOR OUR COUNTRY!”

Enjoying the ride yet?

      If this isn’t making you puke, it will make you laugh. Of course, it’s in all capitals because He thinks that’s somehow more impressive. I’m still trying to decide which disasters Trump considers “great things.” Maybe the tariff wars with China and Germany? Perhaps it’s the all-time record deficit for 2018 and beyond, not in a poor economy, but in a booming one? Or maybe it’s our loss of credibility world wide due to this buffoon’s lack of any shred of diplomatic sense. Or is it selling America to Russia and Saudi Arabia? Maybe …. ah, the hell with it. Let’s concentrate on something more tangible.

Proposed New Year’s resolution for Trump adherents”

Set aside one or two days to practice News Objectivity. How, you ask? Well, you know I’m going to tell you.

      First, reflect for a moment on the term “Fake News.”  Remember, if you can, where you first heard it used and by whom. Then consider what you think a working definition might be. I can help with that: (noun) “A thing that is not genuine; a forgery or sham.”, (adjective) “Not genuine; counterfeit.”  Note that the word “opinion” is not part of the definition in either application.

       If we can agree with Mr. Webster that those definitions are accurate, them let’s proceed.

First: take a notepad and set aside half an hour to watch a nightly news broadcast on one of the three legitimate news networks. That would be ABC, CBS, or NBC or NPR.  I say legitimate to eliminate MSNBC, FOX (and sometimes CNN) who sometimes mix news and opinion into an almost indistinguishable product.

        In fact, I find NPR, which as of course been branded as “liberal” by rightists for some time, to be as objective as any of the group and perhaps even more so. Unfortunately, in the minds of those who dislike such programming as Sesame Street because of its focus on fair play and racial and social harmony and label NPR as “Liberal,” the general news broadcasts are pretty much middle of the road. I say that as one whose morning briefing from “Alexa” includes an NPR news brief, sandwiched between Jimmy Fallon’s previous night’s monologue and the weather report. In all the mornings I’ve listened, I have yet to hear one editorial comment.

        Anyway, sit down and watch whatever broadcast you’ve chosen. Every time you hear something which is stated as a fact, and which you question, make a note. Every time you hear the presenter make a value judgment on a particular thread, make a note. Remember, a fact you don't like isn't a value judgement, your decision to dislike it or its implications, is. This is a key point to the entire "Fake News " thing. After the broadcast has aired, fact check the things you noted. Google can help with that.

        Important note here: We are talking about News broadcasts which are presented as “news”. Most networks have shows (Fox, essentially all day) which are opinion/editorial based. This isn’t “news”, be it Rachel Maddow or Sean Hannity. Calling this type of broadcast “Fake News” is akin to saying that, for example, “The Red Sox are better than the Yankees” is Fake News. This is indicative primarily of the person using the term being unable to distinguish opinion from data.

        Having done this, do your best to objectively consider whether what you watched purveyed anything which fit our definition (not genuine, forgery, false, etc.)  Unless you have watched major network news in a parallel dimension, your sheet may well be blank.

        Then consider what Mr. Trump means when he uses the term Fake News. Analysis reveals that what he means is that almost anything which is reported factual or not, is “Fake News” if it can be construed as reflecting negatively on Donald J. Trump.

       Examples: Someone counts the number of days and the millions involved in Trump flying to Mar a Lago to play golf. 

       They then report that Trump said, "If I win, I may never see my property -- I may never see these places again," (Trump at an August 2016 campaign event. "But because I'm going to be working for you, I'm not going to have time to go golfing, believe me. Believe me. Believe me, folks." 

        That person then checks how much golf Trump has really played, and compares it to Obama’s golfing, which Trump lambasted almost daily. When that comparison reveals that:  1. Trump has played not just a bit, but a hell of a lot, more golf in the same time as Obama.  2. He has played with almost no political figures but claims he’s “working” on the course, and 3. He’s spending mega-millions doing it, flying to his private club while Obama played many rounds close to home. 

       Anyone reporting this series of facts might well be  accused of broadcasting “Fake News.” Of course, while this hasn’t been done by the major networks, Trump casts a broad net with his accusations

        In a similar vein, to avoid the Fake News label, the major networks may well not address the recent data driven and proven Trump lies regarding military pay increases and the revelation of the deployment of SEAL team 5. Should they report these facts. - Fake News!

        Likewise, the more former employees become witnesses to Trump wrongdoings to reduce their own sentences, the more former employees Trump throws under the Fake News bus. The list grows almost daily. The investigation into the massive tax frauds committed by Fred Trump, for example, revealed that, far from the “small million-dollar loan” Trump claims he used to start his business, about half a billion, untaxed, was channeled to Donald and some to his siblings, while they were yet in school.

        This, of course, is all part of the “Fake News,” even though true. In much the same way, should any news outlet simply note that Trump and his lawyer colluded to pay quasi-hookers to keep quiet about their dalliances with "mister tiny hands" that’s Fake News, too.  

        Do we see a pattern here? If you believe, even for a moment that a thing is either true or untrue simply because this man says so, you are delusional. You are delusional in the same frame as   those who, for whatever reason, believe that Trump is a religious man or was a loyal husband while the third of his serial wives was pregnant. Ask your own wives (or, wives) ask yourselves, how they/you would feel if you discarded them or were ditched, as they/you aged, simply for a newer model, as Trump has done.

       In summary, I defy you to find anything which really meets the definition of “Fake” in the major network news broadcasts. Then, see if even a week goes by when Trump fails to call them “the Fake News.”  Then if you have even a shred of personal integrity and objectivity, be honest enough to admit that you’re being systematically lied to, not by the major news media, but by the President of the United States.